Ergonomics - I should have listened a little closer.

[Lia Howe]

I should have listened to my teacher more closley. I am sorry Terry Craig. I tried to do everything you taught me but I tried a sitting bench and boy am I paying for it. My last week of blowing I thought I would try a sitting bench instead and now I can bearly sit or stand. The chiropracter says that I have the equivalient of a sprained ankle in my lower back. Who knew that 38 could feel like 108. After two trips to said dr. I feel much better but still hurts. She has recommended I put down flooring to cusion the concrete. What do yuou use? she also says Home Despot sells a carpet for in front of your fireplace that won't burn. Anybody used it? Who knew carpeting would be part of my studio build. Any advise from those who know would be great. Remember I am just a newbie trying to survive my own studio stupidity. Okay enough typing I am going to go lie down now.Thanks Lia

[Allan Gott]

There are various products, used by folks who have horses, to line the floors of their barns and stalls.

Typically it's a recycled tire product, about an inch thick. It works like a damn. When a piece of hot glass makes contact you know pretty quick. My mat suffered lots of hits but never any permanent damage.

I'd like to try a standing bench, but like topfired invested gas furnaces:headbang: :headbang: :headbang: , sit down benches are the standard around here too.

Got a website for you - www.dinoflex.com - think hockey arena - they do still play hockey in Halliburton eh!!!!!!

[Lawrence Ruskin]

There are all kinds of mats available. I have one that is made for the restaurant trade. It comes in 4 foot by 4 foot interlocking squares. Soft black rubber.

About your back. The best idea is to find the best back Doctor in town and follow his instructions. In Vancouver, the general hospital has the primo back clinic run by a genius called Dr. Bishop.

I wasted two years and a romance trying to do things the '' new age'' way. I couldn't stand for more than 10 minutes for two years.

Then a friend of mine asked me if I had any numb spots on my legs. Well, yes I did. That's nerve damage he says. Off to the back clinic, had a MRI, and the whole ball of wax explained to me.

I was put on Naproxen, 500 MG a proscribed anti-inflammatory and now I leap from bed in the morning with joy in my heart singing Zippity Do Da.

Sorry, chiropractors are fooling you and could well be doing damage. Google ''Quackwatch''. Read all about it. Quackwatch is an excellent reference if you want to check out any new age medical stuff.

[Rosanna Gusler]

chiropractors like mds come in all flavors. a chiropractor saved my back. i have a friend that had his back ruined by a surgeon. you have to shop around and get references. rosanna ps a good massage therapist can work wonders as well. we have a good one here that got my other half well after he pulled his back and could not walk after getting worse for weeks. could not put on his own shoes and socks. he is fine now.

[Eben Horton]

I use industrial kitchen mats in between my bench and the g-hole and infront of my marver.

Also, bo buy a pair of crocs. they are by far the best glass blowing shoes i have ever worn. what they lack in longevety are gained tenfold in comfort.

a sitting bench isnt a bad thing...

[Scott Young]

I think I'll weigh in here (since I've had 3 back surgeries & multiple chiropractors).

ALWAYS stretch! Also, the best thing I've EVER bought for my back is a work shoe from Z-Coil. They may look a little strange, but ever since I've started wearing them, no back/foot/knee, etc pain. Even after 14 hour days in the studio on concrete. I now own a pair of Z-Coil sandals and tennis shoes in addition to the work boots.

http://www.zcoil.com/

[Greg Vriethoff]

Originally posted by Lia Howe
Home Despot

:D

[Lawrence Ruskin]

Just suggesting that before you have spinal manipulation you look it up and read about it.

It's regarded as dangerous by Doctors who make a living fixing backs.

The best thing to do is get all the information available on any medical problem and go from there. Back doctors are the top of the food chain, start with them.

I didn't, mainly because girlfriend wanted me to try alternate medicine first.

I tried everything from Chiropractors to getting special shoes.

So she bailed after 2 years of me acting like an old man. I had to quit the Fire Department, just when I was going to be raised to Captain , and spent 2 years in unnecessary pain.

Quackwatch.

[David Patchen]

I use a sitting bench, but when things get even a bit long, I work off the bench. I never understood ppl who will kill themselves lying down on their tools to put on a punty on or trim a lip. Get out of the bench, have your assistant sit and work outside. I haven't put a punty on in ages--my assistant has better aim from his vantage point.

Hope you feel better!

[Jon Myers]

I really wish that someone who knows what they are doing would put a video of their pre work stretches on utube. I have heard Terry Craig and Rollin (no last name needed) talk about theirs but being a visual person I would like to see them. It would be valuable service to many I would think.
One of our guys bought a pair of z-coil shoes and he loves them but I thought I'd wait to see how long they last as he is a big boy (like me) and I kill shoes in a couple of months. (doesn't help that I'm a pacer, walking helps me think)(lord knows I need the help) If he still likes his shoes in 6 months I'll get some.

[Charles Friedman]

Z-soles are the greatest thing since sliced bread. It's like have a floor mat where ever you go.

[Mark Rosenbaum]

Originally posted by Jon Myers
I really wish that someone who knows what they are doing would put a video of their pre work stretches on utube. I have heard Terry Craig and Rollin (no last name needed) talk about theirs but being a visual person I would like to see them. It would be valuable service to many I would think.
One of our guys bought a pair of z-coil shoes and he loves them but I thought I'd wait to see how long they last as he is a big boy (like me) and I kill shoes in a couple of months. (doesn't help that I'm a pacer, walking helps me think)(lord knows I need the help) If he still likes his shoes in 6 months I'll get some.
I've been wearing Z-coils for over a year and I love them (but my wife won't let me wear them anywhere but the studio). My son calls them my "Spiderman" shoes. :D
I think that when I bought them that they will replace the heel part or the spring if they get too much wear on them. Mine are almost to that point. Ask at the store about replacement parts.

[Lia Howe]

I have already been to the chrio and it feels better. Not great but I can walk around and not moan and wail. I am probably going to put down the mats. Terry Craig was here today and we talked about changing how I do a few things and where I place my tools and rod buckets for the break off bench to avoid the cross-over move that seems to be giving me the most pain. It is great to get someone else to watch and suggest where your problems might be. Sometimes in the moment we don't always see everything. I don't have to blow very soon so I will keep walking and stretching and feel alot better before I try again. Keep the advise coming it always helps.Lia

[Eben Horton]

I forgot to mention this- the summer of '06 was hell on my back. I figured I was getting to the point in my life when its time to come to terms with the fact that I was getting old and this is what happens to you when you get older.. winter was worse and this spring I was actually about to throw in the towl and look for a new profession. My back was just not allowing me to enoy this. I am 5'11 and at that time, my kid was 2 years old and I wasnt taking very good care of myself- I weighed about 265 that summmer. This past spring I decided that my weight was actually the issue and as of right now i am down to 233.
back problems are gone- my knees are better, I have more energy.

[Rosanna Gusler]

same here . i am 50 now and as long as i keep my weight down i have no problems. back about 20 years i got heavy and had constant back issues. rosanna

[Jane Greer]

I'm confused. Are you saying that because you worked at a bench now you have back problems? Doesn't everyone work at a bench? I've never seen anyone who didn't. What am I missing?

Jane

[Allan Gott]

Originally posted by Lia Howe
avoid the cross-over move

Best change I ever made for myself - stand to the right of the pipe while heating.

You don't have to "crossover" or shoot the pipe across the rail while you slide in behind..............never could master Dante's move anyway..........my hands are in the correct turning/working position when I hit the bench and I found everything staying on center a little better.

I turn on the left side if I intend to use the marver and when I am taking heats while assisting.

[Scott Young]

Originally posted by Allan Gott
Best change I ever made for myself - stand to the right of the pipe while heating.

You don't have to "crossover" or shoot the pipe across the rail while you slide in behind..............never could master Dante's move anyway..........my hands are in the correct turning/working position when I hit the bench and I found everything staying on center a little better.

I turn on the left side if I intend to use the marver and when I am taking heats while assisting.

I always enjoy hearing a "righty" fixing a problem by doing it as a "lefty". I'm one of those left-handed folks who bit the bullet and learned to blow righty (so I could work in all the glass shops)

[Randy Kaltenbach]

Lefty/Righty - I know it sounds weird, but Allan got me doing it now, too. It does work!

[Kraig Richard]

I got this lesson at a good physical therepy place.

For a bad back stop by and ask to check out a gym ..... like your thinking of getting a membership.

Look for the nautalis machine that you sit on and has pads that go over your thighs and has handles you reach up for and pull weight down. This beat 100's of hours of streaching. It feels like it works better then hanging, because the spine being curved while the back is being streached seems to let the disk ease out.

Always start with little or no weight.

A good warm up before this is important. Stationary bike is not jarring. Pre streching laying over a giant ball is good too.

Mild muscle relaxents, getting baked whatever it takes to get really relaxed is good for this to work.

Another thing I almost tried is electonic nerve abilation. This is an alternative to cortisone injections. They numb the ends of the nerves with some sort of electro-gizzmo and relief...supposedly last for a few years.

They first temperarily numb your spine in the problem area with a series of locals to see if the electronic treatment will work. After this "series" of injections if you don't feel any pain then your a candidate for that treatment.

Years after they numbed mine to see if it would work, that test has still cured me.

[Laura Doerger-Roberts]

I'm a lefty who gathers, marvers and heats lefty, all tool work righty. You can just back into the bench! Far more efficient.

[Lia Howe]

Jane I just mean that using the sitting bench will not work for me. When the pain stops I will change my bench. Chiro is working. but the painkillers work even better. Have to keep walking but right now I look like a 100 year old man all hunched over. Who knew how much we used our butt muscles.
I looked up the Z-coils and boy they look funky. Lia

[Pete VanderLaan]

Originally posted by Jane Greer
I'm confused. Are you saying that because you worked at a bench now you have back problems? Doesn't everyone work at a bench? I've never seen anyone who didn't. What am I missing?

Jane
********************
You can build a set of rails out of the wall so you simply back up into the rail set and don't stand up and sit down a lot. Either that or a simple metal frame that does the same thing. Some people prefer it. I never liked drinking beer standing up. Learning to lever your work helps a lot and not marvering will really save your shoulders and thumbs and wrists. Blocks or Gott pads are way easier on you in the long run. Hard to work bigger but not as hard on you. Those 800 mg motrins are sweet.

[Rich Federici]

If you go to the website of Lotton Art Glass, and check the studio images of The Lottons working, you will see that they work facing the bech at a standing height, with the tool shelf on the right side.

When Dan told me that was how he worked, I could not really picture it. There is no up and down, and if you have to work outside of the bench, I think that it is an easier move than with a conventional bench.

Something to consider.

[Terry Craig]

thought i would chime in, the bench that i made lia (as well as all the other benches that i have made) is designed to adjust from standing to sitting or anywhere in between depending on the type of work being made. some times sitting is favourable and sometimes standing is best depending on the size of work or speed at which the work is being done. i also spend a lot of time enforcing ergonomics and the importance of streaching to all my students. "make more, hurt less" and "smarter, not harder" are the two mottos i press.
terry

[Greg Vriethoff]

Originally posted by Jane Greer
I'm confused. Are you saying that because you worked at a bench now you have back problems? Doesn't everyone work at a bench? I've never seen anyone who didn't. What am I missing?

Jane

Bohemian glassmakers in the Czech Republic don't have benches at all. They work standing with a single yolk.

[Mike_Amis]

I had a lot of lower back and neck problems a few years ago from blowing glass. You should try yoga it is amazing how much better you will start to feel.